One of our favorite day dates and a must see for those visiting from out of the town. Overlooking the Seattle waterfront, Pike Place market is one of the oldest open air markets in the country. Explore a wide variety of PNW specialty foods, crafts, produce, and floral arrangements. Popular storefronts include the famous fish throwing Pike Place Fish Market fishmongers, the oldest Starbucks in country, Uli’s sausage, Beecher’s Cheese, and Chuckar Cherries. Some of our favorite spots in the market include Daily Dozen Donuts, Ellenos Greek Yogurt, Storyville Coffee, Matt’s in the Market, Rachel’s Ginger Beer, Kell’s Irish Pub, D’Laurenti’s, and the many produce and floral stands. With several floors to explore and nearby Post Alley, plan on spending several hours to have the full market experience. And don’t forget to take a picture with Rachel the Bronze Pig out front!
Where we got engaged! Magnuson Park is where we love to take Ashley's family's dog, Stella, and our very own Lucille. Kite Hill boasts a beautiful view of Lake Washington and Mt. Rainier and is a perfect picnic spot. Enjoy the beach on a warm day or the wetland trails on a cool one. Formerly a Naval Base, many different business and organizations operate in the buildings and air hangars found within Magnuson Park, including Sail Sand Pointe which offers paddle (kayak, stand up paddle board) and sail rentals for use on the lake.
We both love our local marine and freshwater wildlife and the Seattle Aquarium is a wonderful way to see these animals up close. A perfect rainy day activity, the aquarium showcases many species from near and far. The aquarium is located next to waterfront piers with shops and restaurants, as well a short walk away from the Seattle Big Wheel, and a stair climb away from Pike Place Market.
One of our earliest dates was to the Edmonds Waterfront to enjoy the beach and the many tidepools in the area. Starfish, anemones, nudibranchs (sea slugs), crabs, sea cucumbers, sculpin, shrimp, and more are best seen at low tide, while harbor seals and sea birds are more commonly observed at dusk. Plenty of small shops, bars, and restaurants are a short walk up the hill in historic downtown Edmonds. If you have the time, take the half hour ferry (board by foot or by car) to Kingston and explore more shops, restaurants, and waterfront park there as well!
If you’re like Colin and itching to go for a run during your trip, the Burke-Gilman Trail offers 19 continuous miles of multi-use trail with many trail head openings. Warning: Not all of the trail is connected, check the website posted below for more info.
Former gas plant turned public park located on the banks of Lake Union with views of downtown Seattle, houseboats on Lake Union, and the Space Needle. While you may not be able to have a "10 Things I Hate About You" style paintball battle around the old building structures, Gas Works park still offers an iconic and beautiful view of the city that makes for the perfect #Seattle instagram picture.
Located on the shores of Lake Washington, the Washington Park Arboretum is home to over 230 acres of botanical beauty. The Arboretum is open to the public free of charge, with the exception of the Japanese Garden located at the South end of the park. Between birding, boating (canoes and kayaks are available for rental by the hour), hosted tram tours, and a world class collection of plants, the Arboretum is sure to be a breath of fresh air.
Colin and I love to explore Asian markets for new foods to try that simply can’t be found on the shelves of most major supermarkets. Be it sweet or savory, extra adventurous or something more familiar, you are sure to find a new favorite at Uwajimaya. If you’ve never been to an Asian market before, be sure to check out the variety available in the produce, packaged sweets/candy/snacks, beverage, and seafood sections!
Operated by the University of Washington, the newly renovated Burke Museum showcases the natural history of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Founded in 1899, the Burke has collected a vast number of artifacts, featuring exhibits on biology, paleontology, archaeology, Native American history and contemporary culture. Operating as a "living museum" guests also have the opportunity to see and interact with various researchers at work and projects underway.
Want to learn more about Seattle? Take a tour through time and see how the city was born and developed from the pioneer and gold rush days to the present day aerospace and tech boom. Located on South Lake Union, the museum is both walking distance from a beautiful green space along the lake waterfront and the Amazon Spheres.
Tacoma's own Dale Chihuly has become known across the world for his pioneering work using glass to create fine and avant-garde art. With his work featured in over 200 galleries, Chihuly chose Seattle to be the home of his long term installment "Chihuly Garden and Glass". Traditional galleries, a glasshouse, and outdoor garden make up the installment with most guests spending 1-2 hours at the exhibit. Located at Seattle Center, the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, and Museum of Pop are all a short walk away.
Located under the North end of the Aurora bridge, measuring 18 feet tall, and grasping a VW Beetle, the Fremont troll is a both a Seattle icon and legend.